Refillable holder for bottles and the like



March 12, 1963 R. w. RAMSBOTHAM 3,080,989

REFILLABLE HOLDER FOR BOTTLES AND THE LIKE Filed 001;. 31, 1960 r F /G.

r I p a I M VIIIIIII INVENTOR. ROBERT W. RAMSBOTHAM United States Patent 3,080,989 REFILLABLE HOLDER FOR BOTTLES AND THE LIKE Robert W. Ramsbotham, Bristol, Conn., assignor to Dorset-Rex, Inc., Thomaston, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Filed Oct. 31, 1960, Ser. No. 66,293 4 Claims. (Cl. 215-12) The present invention relates to containers and more particularly to refillable holders for bottles and the like.

Of recent years, disposable cartridges and refills have been coming into great favor for many purposes with a view towards reducing the repetitive cost of providing attractive or ornamental casings and containers, and this trend has been particularly significant in the cosmetic industry. More recently, aerosol-type bottles and containers have been extensively adopted for perfumes, lotions and the like, as well as for other drug and cosmetic preparations. Generally, functional considerations for such aerosol units militate against highly attractive external design, and special protection for the release valve .is often needed to prevent inadvertent discharge.

It is the aim of the present invention to provide an attractive refillable holder for bottles and the like wherein the bottles and like containers are readily replaceable and are securely held to prevent breakage and inadvertent discharge.

Another aim is to provide a rugged and attractive casing assembly for bottles and the like which is readily and inexpensively assembled and fabricated, and which enables the facile replacement of bottles and the like withouttools.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out more in detail hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement .of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereafter set forth and the scope of the application which will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a holder embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side section of the holder of FIG. 1 as assembled with an aerosol-type bottle dispenser;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section of the interengaging portions of the several members; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of spring latching member.

Referring in detail to the attached drawing, the illustrated embodiment of the present invention utilizes a tubular casing 2 having closed bottom wall 4 and open at the upper end. As illustrated by the assembly view of FIG. 2, the casing 2 is adapted to receive a bottle or like container 6 and is preferably dimensioned so that the periphery of the bottle is spaced inwardly therefrom to reduce direct contact therebetween. A resilient spacer 8 of sponge rubber or other resilient material provides a cushion for the bottom of the bottle 6 and vertical spacing between the bottle and bottom wall 4 of the casing, as well as accommodates manufacturing tolerances. Similar spacing and cushioning means may be provided about the periphery of the bottle if so desired.

Securely engaged in the open end of the casing 2 is an integrally formed spring latching member, generally designated by the numeral 10. The latching member 10 is comprised of a band portion 12 which engages with and closely conforms to the inner periphery of the casing 2 adjacent the open end thereof, and a pair of opposed spring arms 14 which extend outwardly of the casing 2. In the specific embodiment of FIGS. 1-3, the continuous band portion 12 is secured in the casing by a plurality of Patented Mar. 12, 1953 retainer lugs 16 which are spaced about and project outwardly of the band portion and engage in cooperating re cesses or cut-outs 18 in the peripheral wall of the casing. In the alternative embodiment of FIG. 4, the ends of an open strip 12a are secured into band form by a springpronged catch provided by the staked-out prong 20 on one end of the strip and the cooperating cut-out 22 on the other end.

Although the band portion 12 may be secured in the casing 2 by any suitable means such as press-fitting, adhesives or brazing, various types of mechanical interlocks such as the combination of lugs 16 and recesses 18 illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 are most conveniently employed for a simple, firm and rugged assembly.

As shown in the drawing, the spring arms 14 are bent or displaced slightly inwardly of the band portion 12 adjacent thereto, and are provided with locking tabs 24 which project laterally outwardly therefrom, most conveniently formed integrally from the spring arms by stamping or other means. The bend in the lower portion of the spring arms 14 indicated by the numeral 26 stiffens and increases the resilient action of the spring arms 14, and simultaneously reduces the amount of projection of the tab 24 outwardly of the periphery of the band portion.

Releasably engaged on the spring latching member 10 and thereby to the casing 2 is the tubular retainer member 28 which has a peripheral wall with a lower portion 30 slidable over the outer periphery of the casing 2 and an upper portion 32 of reduced cross-section provided with cut'out s or recesses 34 into which the locking tabs 24 of the spring arms 14 are biased. The transverse end wall 34 at the upper portion of the retainer 28 is provided with an aperture 36 for the dispensing portion 35 on the cap 33 of the bottle.

Although suitably shaped locking tabs and recesses may be utilized to provide an engagement which can be camrned apart only upon application of substantial disassembling pressure, the illustrated positive mechanical interlock has been found most convenient and effective since disassembly can be effected simply, easily and only upon forcing of the tabs 24 inwardly of the cut-outs 34 in the retainer member.

When it is desired to replace the bottle 6, it is only necessary for the user to press inwardly on the tabs 24 to disengage them from the cut-outs 34 and to pull the retainer member 28 and easing 2 apart. The bottle can then be removed and a new one inserted, after which the retainer member is simply slid over the spring arms .14 until the locking tabs register with the cut-outs and are biased into engagement therein.

Completing the holder assembly is the tubular cap 40 which has a closed end wall 42 and a peripheral wall 44 frictionally engaged on the upper portion 32 of the retainer member 28 so as to enclose the dispensing portion 35 of the bottle 6.

The several elements of the casing assembly are dimensioned so that the transverse wall 34 bears upon the cap 33 and holds the bottle tightly between the retainer member 28 and the bottom wall 4 and its cushion member 8, thereby preventing any looseness of the bottle within the casing and eliminating breakage. As previously stated, the resilient cushion accommodates variations due to manufacturing tolerances, and it is preferable to dimension the components so as to apply some compression to the resilient spacing member 8 to insure this desired firm engagement. This compression is most desirably calculated as a nominal 50 percent compression to accommodate variations due to manu generally within the range of configurations can be employed such as hexagonal, elliptical, circular and diamond. Conventional metalforming techniques have been readily utilized for fabrication, and molding or other heat-forming techniques also can be employed for fabrication of various elements from synthetic plastic materials.

As will be apparent to persons skilled in the art, various modifications and adaptations of the structure above described will become readily apparent without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A refillable holder for bottles or like containers comprising a tubular casing having a transverse wall at one end and adapted to receive a container; a latching member engaged with the other end of said casing and having a pair of spring arms projecting outwardly therefrom, each of said spring arms having a locking tab projecting laterally outwardly therefrom; a tubular retainer member having a peripheral wall closely overlying the outer surface of said other end of the casing and having a transverse end wall extending across said other end of the casing, said transverse wall having an opening therein adapted to receive the dispensing portion of bottles or like containers during operative assembly therewith, said peripheral wall having recesses therein in registry with said locking tabs, said spring arms biasing said locking tabs into said recesses to provide firm engagement of said retainer member with said cap against inadvertent release and being disengageable therefrom; and a tubular cap member releasably engaged on said retainer member.

2. A refillable holder for bottles or like containers comprising a tubular casing having a transverse wall at one end and adapted to receive a container; a spring latching member having a peripheral band portion engaged with and conforming to the inner surface of the other end of said casing and having a pair of spring arms projecting outwardly therefrom, each of said spring arms having a locking tab projecting laterally outwardly therefrom; a tubular retainer member having a peripheral wall closely overlying the outer surface of said other end of the casing and having a transverse end Wall extending across said other end of the casing, said transverse wall having an opening therein adapted to receive the dispensing portion of bottles or like containers during operative assembly therewith, said peripheral wall having apertures therein in registry with said locking tabs, said spring arms biasing said locking tabs into said apertures to positively lock said retainer member with said casing against inadvertent release and being disengageable by pressing inwardly on the locking tabs.

3. A refillable holder assembly for bottles or like containers comprising a tubular casing having a transverse wall at one end; a resilient cushion in said casing on said transverse wall; a bottle or like container seated in said casing upon said cushion and having a cap with a dispensing portion projecting outwardly of the other end of said casing; a latching member engaged with the inner surface of the other end of said casing and having a pair of spring arms extending outwardly therefrom, each of said spring arms having a locking tab projecting laterally outwardly therefrom; a tubular retainer member having a peripheral wall closely overlying the outer surface of said other end of the casing and having a transverse end wall extending across said other end of the casing, said transperse wall having an opening therein for the dispensing portion of the bottle or like container, said retainer member peripheral wall and spring arms being releasably engaged to hold said casing and retainer member in firm assembly against inadvertent release, said retainer member transverse wall bearing against said cap to maintain said bottle in tight assembly within said casing and applying compressive force to said cushion through said bottle; and a tubular cap member releasably engaged on said retainer member.

4. A refillable holder for a bottle or like container comprising a tubular casing having a transverse wall at one end adapted to receive a container, a latching member mounted on the other end of said casing and having a pair of spring arms projecting outwardly therefrom, each of said spring arms having a locking tab projecting laterally therefrom, a tubular retainer member having a pcripheral wall closely overlying the other end of the easing and having a transverse end wall extending across said other end of the casing, said transverse wall having an opening therein adapted to receive the dispensing portion of the bottle or like container during operative assembly therewith, said peripheral wall having recesses therein in registry with said locking tabs, said spring arms biasing said locking tabs into said recesses to positively and releasably lock said retainer member to said tubular casing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,525,958 Seager et al Oct. 17, 1950 2,555,863 Slaughter June 5, 1951 2,756,105 Magill July 24, 1956 

1. A REFILLABLE HOLDER FOR BOTTLES OR LIKE CONTAINERS COMPRISING A TUBULAR CASING HAVING A TRANSVERSE WALL AT ONE END AND ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A CONTAINER; A LATCHING MEMBER ENGAGED WITH THE OTHER END OF SAID CASING AND HAVING A PAIR OF SPRING ARMS PROJECTING OUTWARDLY THEREFROM, EACH OF SAID SPRING ARMS HAVING A LOCKING TAB PROJECTING LATERALLY OUTWARDLY THEREFROM; A TUBULAR RETAINER MEMBER HAVING A PERIPHERAL WALL CLOSELY OVERLYING THE OUTER SURFACE OF SAID OTHER END OF THE CASING AND HAVING A TRANSVERSE END WALL EXTENDING ACROSS SAID OTHER END OF THE CASING, SAID TRANSVERSE WALL HAVING AN OPENING THEREIN ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THE DISPENSING PORTION OF BOTTLES OR LIKE CONTAINERS DURING OPERATIVE ASSEMBLY THEREWITH, SAID PERIPHERAL WALL HAVING RECESSES THEREIN IN REGISTRY WITH SAID LOCKING TABS, SAID SPRING ARMS BIASING SAID LOCKING TABS INTO SAID RECESSES TO PROVIDE FIRM ENGAGEMENT OF SAID RETAINER MEMBER WITH SAID CAP AGAINST INADVERTENT RELEASE AND BEING DISENGAGEABLE THEREFROM; AND A TUBULAR CAP MEMBER RELEASABLY ENGAGED ON SAID RETAINER MEMBER. 